ABC-13 rides alongside Child Protective Services caseworker

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Eyewitness News was able to ride alongside CPS lead investigator Angela Smith as responded to a case at a home after an accusation of domestic violence.

"There's always a concern of the unknown until we get there and truly can assess," Smith said.

Smith's job is a delicate act. The safety of the children is the number one priority, while also trying to keep the family together.

"We want both parents to see their children; however, we want them to make sure the kids are safe. It's not about mom and dad and their issues," Smith said. "The last course of action is to remove a child."

Sometimes investigators look for other family members who can monitor or help, but the stories do not always have a happy ending. The agency has faced harsh criticism in recent years from children staying in state custody too long because of severe backlogs in caseloads.

"Yes, at the end of the day I think CPS probably gets the blame, but I believe you have to look at the whole picture," Smith said.

Low pay, long hours, and emotionally taxing work forces a high turnover among case workers.

In the fiscal year of 2012, the Harris County region had a 23 percent turnover. The number had only grown to more than 34 percent in 2015.